Remembering World War II

Name: Ronald Francis MacDonald Rank: Seaman Service: SS Liguria (UK), Merchant Navy Date of Birth: May 21, 1906 Place of Birth: Glace Bay, Nova Scotia Marital Status: Single Date of Death: March 29, 1941 Age: 34 Cemetery: Halifax Memorial, Nova Scotia Reference: Panel 18 Commemorated on Page 179 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 10, September 7 and November 13 Ronald Francis MacDonald was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John MacDonald of Cape Breton, NS. At 5:50 pm March 29, 1941 the unescorted Liguria (Captained by Master G.A. Melander), was hit amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-boat U-46 and sank within six minutes after breaking in two about 300 miles south-southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship was originally in convoy OG-56 but became a straggler and later joined convoy OB-302. 18 crew members were lost and one later died of wounds. During the afternoon on April 3, the Athenic came across the survivors and picked up eight men from a raft and three more from a small dinghy. Their food had run out and all were frost-bitten from the knees downwards. The second engineer died of exposure shortly thereafter and was buried at sea. On April 4, the rescue ship was itself torpedoed and sunk by U-boat U-76 (von Hippel), but there were no casualties and the next day all survivors were picked up by HMS Arbutus (K 86) (Lt A.L.W. Warren, RNR) and landed at Liverpool, England on April 8th.

Ronald Francis MacDonald

Sources: Canadian Virtual War Memorial wrecksite.eu uboat.net